Sunday, June 14, 2015

My Teaching Quirk-Fa la la la la

Much to my students chagrin, I have a definite teaching quirk. It happens without warning and can last for a few seconds to well over a minute.

I sing while I teach. Or maybe it's I teach while I sing? Either way, music is a big part of my life and has an integral place in my classroom.

This wouldn't be such a problem, perhaps, except for the fact that I can't sing. I can carry a tune but my singing voice isn't very good. Sad but true.

My students don't know what to do about my teaching quirk either. When I break out in song some look at me and roll their eyes, some join in, but after they get over the shock, most of my kids just smile and let me be. Because guess what? They accept me for who I am and I'm so thankful for that.

I start out each day with my class by singing a kinesthetic days of the week song that I made up. Each day has actions as well as a song or jingle to match. I'm pretty sure you can figure out what Monday's song is.

There was a period of time in my early teens that I listened to The Mama's and Papa's Greatest Hits over and over and over again on my cassette player. #70schild

On Thursday we create the letter T with one half of our bodies and the letter H with the other. Paired together, it looks like we are doing this (cue Thursday's amazing song).

This week in class, we are finishing up our Mustache themed Father's Day presents. Each Dad gets a card, a personalized coffee cup sleeve and a book all about why he is is "FANTACHETIC" (read: fan-tache-tic)

If you'd like to see some pictures, click on the link and check out my student samples. Soooo cute! During our craft, I've brought out this song once or twice because it's so sweet and about a Father/Son relationship.

Like I said, I seem to know a song for every subject. And if one doesn't exist I just make it up.

When I grew up, school was serious stuff. I don't remember my teachers smiling much or doing any silly things. I'm sure there must have been lots of laughs, but I can only remember lots of seat work.

In my humble opinion, school should be fun. There is no reason that teachers can't laugh, sing and/or dance and do an amazing job of educating at the same time. Curriculum isn't boring, but the way we teach it sure can be. Any topic or strand can be turned into a game, song or fun activity. There's a reason why The Ron Clark Academy is so popular and successful. #justsaying

11 comments:

I'm also a child of the 70's. Except Led Zeppelin is more along my speed. I agree with you about my teacher back then. Most of them just seemed unhappy, and I didn't much like school. Have a great week!

Hee! Hee! I sing a lot, too... and I am not very good at it either. I, however, sing whenever a student says a word and I associate with a song. For example, I had one student complaining one day about how the math we were working on was so "complicated". In order to add a little comic relief to the situation, I busted out the best Avril Lavigne impression I could muster and replied, "Why does this math have to be so complicated? I see the way your head is hanging down and it makes me so frustrated!" I could go on and on but I digress! At first, the kids think I am weird but by the end of the school year they just kind of roll their eyes and shake their heads and cover their ears! lol!

Thanks for linking up again! I always love reading what you have to say!

I love this! I wish I had any type of voice to sing. I LOVE music, but I cannot sing to save my life. I play all the great songs I can find for my lessons, but I do not torture the students with trying to sing along!

I love your quirk, probably because I feel like I make up a song for just about anything and also don't have what anyone would say is a singing voice. Ha-ha I think songs are great in the classroom and what's wrong with bursting out in song randomly? Love it!

I love it! Your kids love this I know! I have been known to sing something in an opera voice to get attention. Generally works! I also say certain things with an accent or certain words in a weird way! Again, whatever it takes to get attention! Thanks for sharing!CarolTeachers Are Terrific!